Because Mother Nature is completely out of her f***ing mind, decapitated rattlesnakes can still strike and cripple/kill their enemies up to an hour after being decapitated. They can't fly though, so now would be a good time to start saving for that jetpack.

Rattlesnake venom destroys tissues and causes crippling paralysis, sometimes leading to death. When Santa Cruz homeowner Thomas Scott encountered such a deadly predator in his garage, he took defensive matters into his own hands. However, unlike mammals, reptile reflexes remain deadly after death. In fact, they can still bite and deliver a killing dose of venom up to an hour after being decapitated. And after Thomas delivered what he thought was a deadly blow, the snake's head-severed from its body-continued to scan the area, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

There's a video of dude's decapitated rattlesnake head trying to bite him after the jump, which is every bit as terrifying as it sounds. But after a couple failed attempts it just gets sad. I would have at least tossed him a shoe to bite so he could have died thinking he avenged himself.

Hit the jump for a short video of just the biting, and a longer National Geographic video promoting some new show about freaky deaky animals (skip to 1:00 if you're gonna watch that one).

Thanks to Citizen, who bites rattlesnakes before they bite him. That's how hardcore he is.

There are View Comments.

agatha

In the train... WHAT THE!! *ow sorry* But omg! How is this possible! :(

William Samuel

This has kind of been common knowledge since North America was settled. Next you're going to say that sharks have infinite teeth, or that

Late news or not, I wasn't aware that a reptile, with only it's head remaining, could still function for that long. Twitch, sure, but move and attack? Still news to me. Remember, it's a blog, not a definitive news source. :-P

lol there is nothing knew about this. I remember once at summer camp there was a rattler neer my tepee so we chopped its head off. Then we tried to skin the body and it started whipping all over the place. It freaked us out. We also watched the head continuing to try to bite. We ended up burying it.

Matt Smith

You sound like sick fuck just like the first poster.

broodax

you have never had to kill an animal in you life have you?

tomtomlinson

whiny cunt

Turbosloth

There's nothing new about it either.

Guest

I'm just glad that this doesn't apply to wolves IRL (movie ref).

OldScout

Thank you 1958 for your timely reporting!

n11

Jesus murphy those slow-mo voice are just as scary as that head!

Malcolm Reynolds

The stuff of nightmares. Terrifying.

Pyrblaze

I remember growing up in Oklahoma, where we decapitated the dangerous snakes(rattlesnakes and copperheads) with a shovel, and then poking the agitated head with a stick, watching it try in vain to bite it. My childhood was fun.